The Best Value inspection report of Mid Bedfordshire’s waste management and environmental services gave the council a rating of one star, describing it as ‘ir with weak performance’. But, the council now has plans in hand to improve its service.
The report blamed the district’s poor recycling rate (7%) on user apathy fuelled by confusion amongst residents regarding the council’s kerbside collection service. The orange sack service covers 94% of the district’s 41,800 households and is collected same day as the household waste
Inspectors explained: “This [apathy] has been compounded by the public’s lack of understanding of the current orange bag collection scheme, where both domestic waste and orange bags are collected in the same vehicle. Members of the public we met were convinced that this meant that recyclables and general waste became mixed, wasting the effort they had put into separation.”
With a higher that average waste collection, the council’s effort for waste minimisation was also criticised by the commission: “We found little evidence of any Council initiatives which would encourage residents to reduce the amount of waste they generate,” the report said.
The commission found that the council is not providing enough information for its residents and has no intention to improve this area: “There is a lack of clarity over responsibility for educational activities relating to waste minimization and recycling… Discussions with Councillors and some senior managers indicate that the development of educational activities is not considered to be a priority for the Council.”
However, the council has ‘promising’ prospects for the improvement of its waste management and environmental services, after taking significant action through investment, inspectors noted.
Hard work
Mark Hustwitt, council spokesman, said: “Mid Beds district council is pleased with the Audit Commission’s report which recognises all our hard work in improving recycling in Mid Bedfordshire. That councillors and officers are determined to raise recycling figures in Mid Beds is clear from the 1 million of resources that have been allocated to this work.”
He added: “Our recent Best Value Review recognised the aspirations of the council and the positive measures being put into place to achieve them. We believe that our ability to make significant improvements is better than ‘promising’.”
The district council is to roll out a new kerbside recycling scheme in October 2003 at an annual cost of 594,000 as well as investing 828,000 in five specialist collection vehicles. The council received 375,000 for this year from the Bedfordshire Authorities Waste Partnership (BAWP) and DEFRA.
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